HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE

DAVID FRANCE | USA | 2012 | 110 MIN | NR

This Oscar-nominated documentary is a powerful portrait of the young activists whose grassroots efforts helped bring nationwide attention to the devastation caused by the AIDS epidemic. Driven to action by the devastation of their community and the apparent indifference of the American government and pharmaceutical industry, activists in New York City formed the influential advocacy group ACT UP. Over the course of several years, members of ACT UP lobbied drug companies to provide affordable treatments, staged dramatic protests, and gradually helped to reverse the tide of the epidemic. Drawing extensively on archival footage, David France mixes heart-wrenching testimonials of suffering with stirring demonstrations of how the activists channeled their sadness and anger into direct action.

“An exceptional portrait of a community in crisis and the focused fury of its response.” –Los Angeles Times

American cinema has always held a mirror to the country’s ever-changing cultural and political landscape, giving the American people a chance to experience their deepest fears and loftiest ambitions magnified by the power of the silver screen. With State of the Union, PFS invites audiences to explore the country’s past and imagine its future through films that rigorously examine American leaders, institutions, and values while still being great works of entertainment.